Foueth to eliza k



(No Model.) y 4 sne-ets-sheet 1.

P. K. GROWELL. COMBINED GOTTON GIN AND PRESS. No.. 256,429. y PaintedlApr. 11, 1882.

w.k `v v '9N .I y

w 7E H E `f I s l ik N l H x '.9

N. Pneus. Pmwunwgnpher. wma-.gum u. c.

(No Mdel.) f .'4 Sheets-sheen z.

i P.v K., OROWELL. GOMBINED COTTON GIN AND PRESS. $10,256,429. PatentedAp1f11,1882.

Wing/X950 f/fmf@ wpw Y,

N. PETERS, Pholu-uliwgmrhw, washington. D. C.

' 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

Pv. K. GROWELLv f- GOMBINED COTTON GINAND PRESS-v Patented Apr.. 11,18:82. l

N, wenns. mmmhognpher. wasmngm", n. c.

(No Modem 4 sneetsf-sneet, 4.

P. K. GROWELL.

GOMBINED GOTTVONGIN AND PRESS.

110,256,429.v Patented Apr.11,1882.

' 27a/effi?? N. PETERS, Pnalo-ljlhagrapher. Walhngnn, [LCV f "UNITED,STATES *PATENT OFFICE.

PEARL K. GROWELL, OF LITTLE ROOK, ARKANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH TOvELIZA K. WILLIAMS, OF WASHINGTON, D. C..

COMBINED COTTON GIN AND PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 256,429, dated April11,

Application lcd April 5, 1881. Renewed Marchi?, 1882. (No model.)

' thereof, reference being had to the accom panying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form part of thisspecilication.

This inventionrelates to a combined cotton gin and press.

The main objects of the improvement are to reduce to a minimum the delayand trouble incurred in erecting an outfit byrendering the` gin-houseunnecessary, and to construct, with the exception of the steam-engine,an entire machine for ginning and pressing cotton in a cheap, compact,and portable form; also, to reduce the number of hands which are usuallyemployed for ginning and pressing cotton, as will be apparent from thefollowing specification. f

In the drawings, Figure lis a side elevation of my machine. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal central section taken on a vertical plane. Fig. 3 is avertical section on the line w Fig. l. Fig. 4 represents the packerdetached. Fig. 5 illustrates the tie-holder, and Fig. 6 shows a portionof the rack-frame and devices for raising or lowering the pinionarranged in said frame.

A indicates the main frame of the machine. This will be supported bywheels, so that it can be readily moved from place to place, as may berequired. The means employed for driving the .saw-shaft consist of abelt-pulley, B, secured upon a shaft, b, and driven by a belt from theengine, a bevel-gear, b', secured upon the same shaft and gearing with alike bevel-gear, b2, upon a shaft, b3, and adrum, C, secured upon saidshaft and connecting with a pulley, c,- upon the saw-shaft c by means ofan endless belt, c2.

D indicates the rotary gin-brush,which strips the cotton from thegin-saws and blows it up through the inclined flue dto the condenser d',which is formed by means of the two rotary cylinders d2 cl3, betweenwhich thecotton is passed and condensed.

E refers to the lint-chamber, into which the cotton drops from thecondenser through the opening eof a trap, which is closed by a door, e',during certain periods in the operation of the machine, as will bepresently explained.

F refers to the packer, which consists of a series of vertical bars, f,arranged at equal distances apart, and aseries ofhorizontalslats, f',also arranged at equal distances apart, and secured toa thick ironplate, f2, which eX- tends across the bottom of the lint-chamber andconstitutes the base of the packer. The bottom of thelintfchamber isformed with longitudinal slots e2 to admit of the connection of thepacker with rack-frames G. The rack- V frame G employed in connectionwith my invention is provided with two lines of internal teeth, g g, andbetween the said lines of teeth is arranged a pinion, H, that is mountedupon a shaft arranged to be raised or lowered, so as to bring the pinioninto gear with either the upper or the lower set of teeth. The mechanismi'or thus operating said shaft consists of a movable wedge, h, connectedwith a lever, 71.', that can be operated either to force the wedge undera bearing, h2, of the shaft,so as to raise the same, or to withdraw thewedge from under the bearing toadmit of the' descent of the shaft, inorder to bring the pinion into gear with the lower set of teeth. Thuswhile the pinion, during vits rotation, engages one set of teeth, therack-frame and packer will be carried in one direction, and when it isshifted to` engage the other set of teeth the rack-frame and packer willbe moved in a reverse direction, whereby the packer can be moved backand forth at the will of the operator. v

The device for shiftingthe wedge consists of a crank-wheel, h3,connecting with the lever h by means of a connecting-rod, h4,`and themeans for operating the pinion consist of a belt, I, passing around a`belt-wheel, I', upon the pinion-shaft anda belt wheel or drum, I2, upona sleeve on the saw-shaft, said sleeve being arranged to be engaged witha clutch by means of a crank-handle, I3, so as to cause its rotationsimultaneously with the saw-shaft, or to be disengaged therefrom, so as'to remain idle, and thus check the movement of the packer.

K represents the balefholder, consisting of vertical iron bars k,secured to a rail, 7e', and triangular-shaped plates L, secured to athiclt iron top plate, L', that is connected with the rail or horizontaltop bar of the bars k by means of eyebolts l. Ropes k2 extend up fromthe rail k' over pulleys k3, and are provided with weights ki, and ropesL' extend from the plate L over a pulley, M, and thence down to acrank-wheel, m. The triangular plates L are ofthe same thickness as thevertical iron bars k, and are made to it into grooves in the rear sidesof said bars.

N indicates the bale-box, which is in front of the bale-holder. Thefollower which works in the bale-box is composed ot' two blocks, O 0f,the former of which is acted directly upon by the screw O2. The blocl; Ois provided with pins passing through slots P in the side boards, 1),and it is adapted to hold the cotton within the balcbox by a yieldingpressure by means of a rope, p', which connects .therewith and passesaround a pulley, p2, and over a hook or staple, p3, and is provided atitsend with a weight, p4. This block is arranged to swing upon itspivots 1f when the doors 196 of the bale-box are open, so as tofacilitate the placingl ofthe bagging thereon. Itis also provided withmortises p7 to receive the dowels p8 upon the block O.

Q, indicates the head-block, which is suspended by a rope,q, that iscarried down from the top ot' the standards q' and connected with theshaft of a crank-w heel, q2. Heavy timbers R R are arranged, as shown ini'ull and dotted lilies, Fig. 2, to receive the pressure during theoperation of baling.

S Indicates a drum mounted upon a shaft, s, which is coupled with oruncoupled from the shalt b by means of the side-acting frictiongearing sand a lever'. s2, which can be operated to force the shaft s toward theshaft I), and thus bring the friction-gearing together, or which can beswungr away from said shaft, whereby the rotation ot' shaft b willdisconnect said gearing. The druln S imparts motion to the screw whenthe said shafts b and s are connected by means ot helting, for whichpurpose I provide upon the screw1 two nutblocks and collars. s3, andthe. three pulleys s4, the center one being fast and the outer onesloose. In this connection I employ two belts, 011e ot' which will becrossed, whereby the screw can be driven back and forth by shitting theopen or the crossed belt upon the fast pulley, as the case may be. Sindicates braces lor holding thenut-bloclis. In Figs. land 2 l haveshown the inclined slides S2 I'or the under doors ot' the bale-box N.

T indicates the tie-holder, having a series of vertical bars, t, formedwith channels for holding the ties, the number ot' said bars or sheathsadmitting of a dozen ties being held thereby, it' required. Thetie-holder is raised so as to bring the ties around the sides and bottomof the bale within the bale-box by means of the crank-wheel t', having apinion, t2, upon its shalt, and a pinion, t3, connecting with thecrank-wheel by a connecting-rod, t, said pinions being arranged toengage with the vertical rack-bars t5. Ou the shaft of one of thesepinions is a pawl, t, to prevent the descent ot' the rack-bars until thepawl has been released from the racltbar.

The letters U- V refer to steelyards and 1fting apparatus for liftingand weighing the bales. drops from the compressortlinto the lint-chamberso long as the packer F 1s back under the lower cylinder ot' thecompressor, as shown iu Fig. 2.

In order to move the packer forward, so as to carry the cotton into thebale-box, the operator turns the crank-wheel h3, so as to bring thepinion within the sliding rack-trame into mesh with one ofthe sets ofteeth in said frame, by means of which the rotation of the pinion willmove the rack-frame and consequently the packer forward. The pinion isset in motion by turning the handle I3, so as to engage the pulley I2with the saw-shaft by any suitable clutch mechanism, said pulleytransmitting motion to the drum upon the pinionshatt by a belt, I. Asthe packer moves forward it strikes against and raises the door c', soas to close the opening at the top of the lint-chainber. This door ishung upon a rod secured in the sides ot' the lint-chamber, and it isprovided with an arm, c3, carrying a weight, e4, which, after the packerhas passed forward beyond the door, holds the samein a vertical positionuntil, by reversing the above-described operation ot' the pinion andbringing the saine into engagement with the other set of teeth in therack-frame by shifting the wedge, the packer returns and causes the doorto drop by the action of a spring, e5, carried by the packer, againstthe weighted arm c3 of said trap or door. As the packer advances itsvertical bars f pass between the triangular plates L and the verticalbars it ofthe bale-holder, said plates and bars being now connected bymeans ot the eyebolts l passing through the bar k into the plate L, towhich the triangular plates are secured. During this forward movement ofthe packer the lint which is carried by the same is wedged under theplates L, so as to raise the bale-holder to a sulcieut height to admitoi' the passage of the lint under the same and into the bale-box N. Theforward movement ofthe packer will be continued until it isaboutthreeiuchcsin advance ofthe bars lcofthe bale-holder, at whichpoint it is stopped and the bale-holder allowed to drop to nearly itsformer position. Thepositionanddirectionot'rotation of the pinion H willnow be changed by the' means hereinbefore described, so as to bring thepacker back to the position shown in Fig. 2, whereby the trap-door ewill be opened and the lint which has accumulated upon the guard e whilethe door has been closed will drop through opening e into thelint-chamber in front of the packer. The guard c6 here reA ferred toconsists of a series of inclined fingers with spaces between them toadmit of the pasln operating this machine the cotton IOO IIO

IZO

the weight p4, will be gradually pushed back as the bale-box is filleduntil it abutsagainst the block O, that is acted upon by the screw,

said block O' being arranged to swing upon its pivots when the doors ofthe bale-box are open 1o to facilitate the operation of putting thebagging upon it, and being further provided with a large groove, O2, inwhich the edges of the bagging are secured. -After the bale has been4packed in the bale-box the part L L' of the holder is detached fiom thebar lo by withdrawing the eyebolts l, and it is then elevated by turningthe crank-wheel m. Thehead-block Q is then let down by turningcrank-wheel q2,

Y said head-block coming in front of the heavy timbers R, which aifordsuitable resistance to the great pressure which it sustains when thefollower' is advanced toI compress the bale. After the head-block isinposition the remain` by the weight 704 and the follower advanced topress the bale by rotating the screw by means of the devices beforedescribed. After this operation the doors of the bale-box can be removedand the tie-holder, with the ties for the bale, run up to their place onthe bale by operating the crank-wheel t. Thus in a space of about threeminutes one man can inclose, tie, sew, lift out, and weigh the bale bymeans before described, and in about two minutes more have the box readyfor another bale-' au amount of labor which has heretofore occupiedabout half an hour when performed by two men. The ties will all have anequal tension, and thus be less liable to break than when they are puton one at a timeand pounded instead of pressed onto the bale. Intransporting this machine the screw can be run in and the tie-holderelevated, the lower portions of the rack-bars being turned up on theirhinges t7 t7. 'What I claim as my invention is- 1. 1n a combined cottongin and press, the packer F, connected with a reciprocating rackframe,and com posed of vertical and horizontal bars secured to a base-plate,substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the packer F, of the rack-frame G, providedwith two internal sets of teeth, a pinion arranged to be raised orlowered within the rack-frame to engage the 5 5 teeth of either set, anddevices for raising and lowering the said pinion, whereby the rackframeand the packer can-be moved back and forth by the rotation of the pinionin one direction, substantially as described.

6o 3. The combination, with the'movable pack .t2 upon the shaft of thecrank-wheel, the piner F, arranged within the lint-box, of the trapdoore', arranged to be raised by the forward movement ot' the packer, andthe weighted arm e3, arranged to be raised by the spring e5 during thebackward movement of the packer, substantially as described.

4. In a combined cotton giu and'press, the bale-holder K, consisting ofvertical bars k, forming one section thereof, and the triangular-shapedplates L, secured to a plate, L', and 7o constituting the remainingsection of the same, said sections being connected by eyebolts,substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the packer F, provided with a series ofvertical bars, ot' the vertically-movable bale-holder K, provided withvertical bars, and triangular-shaped plates arranged to admit ot thepassage of the vertical bals of the packer between them in the man nerset lorth, said bale-holder being adapted to he raised by pressure ofthelint wedged underits triangular-shaped plates by the packr,substantially as described. ling portion, Ick', of the bale-holder canbe raised 6. The tie -holder T, comprising vertical sheaths for the tiesand pinions, and rackbars for raising the same, substantially asdescribed. t l

7. Thecombination,withtheverticalsheaths t for the ties, of thecrankwheel t', the pinion 9 ion t3, connected with the crank-wheel by a'connecting-rod, and the rack-bars t5, with which the pinions engage,whereby by operating the crank-wheel the tie-holder can be raised intothe bale-box, substantially as set I 8. The combination, with thehead-block Q, of the follower-blocks O O, the latter provided with pinspassing through slots P, the screw acting upon the block O, the fast andloose rco pulleys s, and mechanism for driving the fastv pulley indifferent directions, substantially as described.

9. ThecQmbiuation, with the gin-saws, the rotary brush,and a ue leadingfrom the brush to the condenser, of a movable packer arranged to travelback and forth in the lintchamberbelow the condenser, avertically-Inoving bale-holder arranged in front of the packer, thehead-block arranged to be lowered at 1ro one side of the bale, thefollower and screw of the press, and the vertically-movingtie-l1older,substantially as described.

In testimonyr that I claim theforegoing as my own I affix mysignature'in presence of two 11-5 witnesses.

' I). K. GROWELL.

Witnesses:

T. H. ALEXANDER, AUG. A. NICHOLSON.

